EIGHT IN TEN motorists check the air pressure of their tyres every six months or more often, with three in ten doing so at least once a month.
However, one in ten people only do this once a year or less.
These figures are from a survey carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The organisation questioned 1,000 motorists and found that eight out of ten (79%) drivers know how to check the air pressure of their tyres and seven in ten (72%) know how to check the tread depth.
One in ten people (22%) stated that they check tread depth at least once per month.
Male drivers who took part in the survey were much more likely to state they knew how to do each of these checks, compared to female drivers.
Younger motorists (aged under 24 and 25-34) were more likely than any other age group to have bought part-worn tyres in the past.
In support of Irish Road Safety Week, which begins today, Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) members will be providing free tyre checks to motorists at participating garages.
Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive of the RSA, said:
We are concerned with the level of part worn tyres being used on vehicles, some are on sale for as little as 10 euro. When you consider that tyres are your only contact with the road, you really have to ask yourself is this the value you place on your family’s life?
Chief Superintendent Mark Curran added:
“Tyres are the only part of your vehicle that separate you from the road so it is critical that they are in roadworthy condition at all times. We would encourage everyone to avail of the free tyre check next week and ensure they are up to standard, particularly as winter approaches.”
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